Assange urges Snowden to be 'extremely cautious' if he leaves Russia

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has warned former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden that leaving Russia could be dangerous, even with his new residence permit.

Speaking via
videoconference to an audience at a freedom of speech convention
in Mexico City, Assange said that Snowden could face threats to
his physical well-being if he decides to leave Russia.

“Of course our advice is that he be extremely cautious in
doing so for his physical security," the WikiLeaks founder
said, according to AFP.

As RT reported, Snowden was officially granted a
residence permit from Russia earlier on Thursday. Effective
August 1, the permit will last for three years and allows Snowden
to travel anywhere within Russia, as well as beyond the country’s
borders for up to three months.

Snowden’s lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, noted that the former NSA
employee would be able to apply for Russian citizenship in five
years, though he has not made a decision on that front.

On the subject of Snowden’s security, Kucherena said that a
private firm is in charge of his detail, adding that he will not
benefit from state protection due to the “many bureaucratic
procedures” required to obtain it.

Assange himself is familiar with taking precautions to ensure his
“physical safety,” as he has been holed up within the
Ecuadorian embassy in London for more than two years now. The 42-year-old is
wanted for questioning in Sweden regarding allegations that he
sexually assaulted two women in 2010.

Sweden issued a warrant for his extradition over the allegations
in 2012, but Assange – who has denied all the charges – was
awarded political asylum and has now spent 778 days inside the
embassy. London police have staged a 24-hour stakeout of the
premises, and are ready to arrest Assange immediately should he
ever leave the building. Assange is also worried that by going to
Sweden, he would open himself up to extradition to the United
States – which is upset over WikiLeaks’ decision to leak
diplomatic cables back in 2010.

As for the possibility that Snowden may be extradited to the US,
Kucherena dismissed the possibility outright, saying it would not
happen because Snowden doesn’t face any charges inside Russia.

“No extradition is possible under Russian law,” he said.
“He has not committed any crime. He faces no charges in
Russia.”

“By all means he is homesick," he added. "It was
hard for him to find himself far from home, especially for the
first time. Of course, in the future Edward will make up his mind
on whether to stay in Russia and apply for citizenship or to
leave for the US [on his own terms]. He hasn’t done this
yet.”